Cholesterol is found almost exclusively in foods from animals (meats, eggs, oils), and is constantly made in the body, mostly in the liver and kidneys. While some cholesterol is essential in the formation of hormones and cell membranes, too much is dangerous. Many people process excess cholesterol naturally and never encounter any problems.
However, there are others who accumulate cholesterol in the blood, resulting in high serum cholesterol counts that lead to atherosclerosis, which is plaque deposits of cholesterol, fats, and other remains in the walls of medium-sized and large arteries. This condition causes the affected vessel to narrow as its walls become thick and hardened, which reduces circulation to organs and other parts of the body. These conditions are the major causes of heart attack, heart disease, chest pain, and other circulatory disorders.
Chile in the diet can enhance the means by which cholesterol and fats are processed. Studies have found that capsaicin works in two ways to reduce cholesterol levels: it decreases cholesterol absorption by the body so that more is excreted in the feces; and it increases the enzymes responsible for fat metabolism in the liver, so that more triglycerides, the hard insoluble fat, are secreted by the liver rather than accumulated in the body.
Studies have found that dihydrocapsaicin, a constituent of capsaicin, can lower blood levels of low *density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), which contributes to atherosclerosis, and raise high *density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), which retards atherosclerosis. A study in India found that rats eating a high *fat diet that included chile and adequate protein experienced less weight gain and exhibited lower serum and liver triglyceride levels. Additionally, they found that capsaicin, when added to an established high *fat diet, actually reduced triglyceride levels in the blood.
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